The Architectural League’s publication, Urban Omnibus, and an esteemed jury — Abraham Burickson, Annie Coggan, Joshua Jelly-Schapiro, and UO editors — selected Stamps Associate Professor Nick Tobier‘s “A Wanderer in An Unwired City” as one of three winners chosen for As Seen On [ ], the fourth annual Urban Omnibus Writing Competition. The call for narratives of the built environment yielded a range of interpretations, from prayer and embarrassments as varieties of performance played out in the public realm, to defenses of the ever-controversial selfie stick. In one submission, we were transported to a dystopian future Brooklyn where Facebook scripts everything from dialogue to shootings. In others, authors articulated timely perspectives on policing, Times Square desnudas, and litefeet dancers on the subway making very clear what time it is (Showtime).

“A Wanderer” is among three winners that explore the place and state of performance and audience in our urban spaces today, weaving personal experience, theory, history, narrative, and keen observation into nuanced and refreshing takes.

On January 13th, The Architectural League hosts a special event at Greenlight Bookstore to launch a booklet of the winning essays, with a public reading and reception to toast the winners. Please join us for a chance to hear from the authors and to enjoy some wine with your fellow urban enthusiasts.

After the event, The Architectural League will publish the three winners on Urban Omnibus for those who can’t join us at the reading in Brooklyn. Either way, you’ll have the chance to purchase a beautifully designed and illustrated booklet. Rest assured that it will make a particularly eye-catching prop for your next role.